Judasand Silas,alsobeingprophetsthemselves,encouragedand strengthenedthe brethrenwith a lengthymessage.
"In the firstyearof Dariusthe Mede,I aroseto be an encouragementand a protectionfor him.
"Therefore,behold,I am sendingyou prophetsand wise menand scribes;someof them you will killand crucify,and someof them you will scourgein your synagogues,and persecutefrom cityto city,
"For thisreasonalsothe wisdomof Godsaid,I will sendto them prophetsand apostles,and [some] of them they will killand [some] they will persecute,
Then when he arrivedand witnessedthe graceof God,he rejoicedand [began] to encouragethem allwith resoluteheartto remain[true] to the Lord;
Nowat thistimesome prophetscame downfrom Jerusalemto Antioch.
Nowthere were at Antioch,in the churchthat was [there], prophetsand teachers:Barnabas,and Simeonwho was calledNiger,and Luciusof Cyrene,and Manaenwho had been broughtup with Herodthe tetrarch,and Saul.
strengtheningthe soulsof the disciples,encouragingthem to continuein the faith,and [saying], "Throughmanytribulationswe mustenterthe kingdomof God."
Some mencame downfrom Judeaand [began] teachingthe brethren,"Unlessyou are circumcisedaccording to the customof Moses,you cannotbe saved."
Thenit seemed goodto the apostlesand the elders,with the wholechurch,to choosemenfrom amongthem to sendto Antiochwith Pauland Barnabas--JudascalledBarsabbas,and Silas,leadingmenamongthe brethren,
"Thereforewe have sentJudasand Silas,who themselveswill alsoreportthe same thingsby word[of mouth].
Therefore,being sent on their wayby the church,they were passing throughbothPhoeniciaand Samaria,describing in detailthe conversionof the Gentiles,and were bringinggreatjoyto allthe brethren.
When they had readit, they rejoicedbecauseof its encouragement.
And he was traveling throughSyriaand Cilicia,strengtheningthe churches.
And having spentsometime[there], he leftand passedsuccessivelythroughthe Galatianregionand Phrygia,strengtheningallthe disciples.
And with manyotherwordshe solemnly testifiedand kept on exhortingthem, saying,"Be savedfrom thisperversegeneration!"
When he had gone throughthosedistrictsand had giventhem muchexhortation,he cameto Greece.
Since we havegiftsthat differaccordingto the gracegivento us, [each of us is to exercise them accordingly]: ifprophecy,accordingto the proportionof his faith;
orhe who exhorts,in his exhortation;he who gives,with liberality;he who leads,with diligence;he who shows mercy,with cheerfulness.
whowill alsoconfirmyou to the end,blamelessin the dayof our LordJesusChrist.
Let twoorthreeprophetsspeak,and let the otherspass judgment.
But one who prophesiesspeaksto menfor edificationand exhortationand consolation.
and the spiritsof prophetsare subjectto prophets;
whichin othergenerationswas not made knownto the sonsof men,as it has nowbeen revealedto His holyapostlesand prophetsin the Spirit;
justas you knowhowwe [were] exhortingand encouragingand imploringeachoneof you as a father[would] his ownchildren,
and we sentTimothy,our brotherand God'sfellow workerin the gospelof Christ,to strengthenand encourageyou as to your faith,
Finallythen,brethren,we requestand exhortyou in the LordJesus,that as you receivedfrom us [instruction] as to howyou oughtto walkand pleaseGod(justas you actuallydo walk),that you excelstill more.
We urgeyou, brethren,admonishthe unruly,encouragethe fainthearted,helpthe weak,be patientwith everyone.
do not despiseprophetic utterances.
Nowsuch personswe commandand exhortin the LordJesusChristto workin quiet fashionand eattheir ownbread.
Firstof all,then,I urgethat entreaties[and] prayers,petitions[and] thanksgivings,be madeon behalfof allmen,
preachthe word;be readyin season[and] out of season;reprove,rebuke,exhort,with greatpatienceand instruction.
Therefore,I exhortthe eldersamongyou, as [your] fellow elderand witnessof the sufferingsof Christ,and a partakeralsoof the glorythat is to be revealed,
After you have sufferedfor a little while,the Godof allgrace,who calledyou to His eternalgloryin Christ,will Himselfperfect,confirm,strengthen[and] establishyou.
ThroughSilvanus,our faithfulbrother(for soI regard[him]), I have writtento you briefly,exhortingand testifyingthat thisis the true graceof God.Stand firmin it!
